


A Brotherly Promise

by LadyAmphy



Series: Promises [2]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: spoilers for episode 72 & 73
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-02
Updated: 2016-11-02
Packaged: 2018-08-28 15:17:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8451466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyAmphy/pseuds/LadyAmphy
Summary: "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry Cass" Percy voice sounds small, tired "I had to reveal the reason we left to fight the frigid doom so suddenly after I had been revived, so that all cards were on the table, but in doing so I had to put you at risk, something that had sworn to myself that I would never be directly responsible for hurting you"





	

The air was cool up on the battlements looking out over the quiet city of Whitestone. Cassandra watched as the street lamps were being set aflame, hair resting on her shoulders, her usual calm facade crumbling with the realisation that in a few short days the war will either be won or lost.

Soft shoes shuffle on the cobblestones behind her. The smell of gunpowder hits her nose as she turns her head to see Percy standing beside her, his blue coat slung over his arm, and his usual pristine white shirt, sleeves rolled up. She turned head to look back out over the city. They stare for a few minutes, listening to the sound of the townsfolk heading home from the fields.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry Cass" Percy voice sounds small, tired "I had to reveal the reason we left to fight the frigid doom so suddenly after I had been revived, so that all cards were on the table, but in doing so I had to put you at risk, something that had sworn to myself that I would never be directly responsible for hurting you"

Cassandra turned her head again to look at her brother’s face. His eyes bore down with a look that she had never seen before. Regret. 

"But that happened when you died" Cassandra spat back, surprising even herself how angry she felt. "If you hadn't come back, I would have been alone and that would have hurt me more." She paused trying to decide her next words carefully.

"Brother I understand what you were trying to do, but you have to remember a few things. This is my home as much as it is yours. And as such I am responsible for everyone in this castle. If your little trick had failed and a great green dragon had suddenly appeared, what then? Hmm.  All the people that you saved from Emon and Westruun, they would have been targets. Salda and her children, who have brought much love back into these halls, would have met the same fate as their father. Or did you forget brother that your new companion was involved in the attack on the cloud top. Your friend Gilmore was more than willing to share the events of what transpired to help us with our planning. My plan is to keep our home safe, but I can’t do that if you’re going to be an absolute Asshole and disregard everything I’m working towards.”

"Cassandra..."

"No... Hold your tongue. This has been building up since you arrived after the Chroma conclave attack. You realise that it hasn't even been a full 3 months since you came and rid us of the Briarwoods. I'm tired Percy. I can't eat or sleep because I spend my waking hours reassuring people that it is safe now, and if I'm not doing that then I'm helping in planning the defence of the city. And then at night I'm worried about you" Cassandra grabs Percy's hand and gives it a squeeze. His face had grown paler, the new moon reflecting of his white hair, his eyes avoiding hers.

"Look at me Percival." His eyes looked up; trying to convey every apology he could muster.

  “Every action has an equal opposite reaction. You taught me that. And I’m pretty sure angering a Dragon counts as a pretty big action. You frightened me Brother. I almost wondered if you were back to where you were before Winters Crest, consorting with voices in your head, telling you to ruin your city." Cassandra starts shaking, tears beginning to fall down her face. Percy pulls her in to a hug.

“Cass. It’s not like that. Orthax is gone. When the others brought me” He pauses trying to find the right words “I was preaching about Honesty in that room and I feel like I haven’t been giving you that recently, so I apologise.

“We went South, and discovered that the vestige that we were told was there had been taken, the woman with whom we knew had the cloak had been shot. Dear Dr Anna had gotten to her first.”

"RIPLEY. She was the one who..." Cass gestured to where there were still bullet wounds in the coat hanging off his arm.

He nods, “I was...Careless; I had a feeling it was a trap but I still fell for it anyway.”

“When I find her I'm going make her regret ever messing with a de Rolo"

"No need. From what I can tell, she was dead not long after I was. Her body now has a tree growing through it on the Island of glass."

"That's great, but I so wish we could bring her back so that I could torture her like she tortured you"

"If you want to do that I could ask Scanlan to turn Grog in to her so you can have at it"

"What a wonderful idea, but not until these giant lizards are dealt with.  Now how did she know about the vestiges, I thought only those you told knew” a curious look appears on Cassandra’s face, as she pulls away looking up at him, tears having stopped as she takes on this new information.

"She had placed a spell on the bottom of her old gun. Allowed her to hear all our conversations about the vestiges, about well everything.” He trails off, looking pensive.

“Brother”

“She made a deal with Orthax. The same deal I made. And my name was on her list. I tried to get through to her, forgiving her for every torment she put me through. But her mind was too twisted, corrupted by that voice in her ear. And then I died. And from what the others told me, it was a miracle that they managed to stop her and Orthax.”   

“And he is gone. For good” Cassandra's hands cling to the side of his arm.

“For now, but he won’t be haunting me anymore. Keyleth made sure of that. While I was, Indisposed, he fed on my soul. She somehow managed to banish him so that Pike could bring me back. The only thing I have to worry about is possibly dying again when we final face that Red Menace and the Green Deceiver”

A stern look suddenly appears on Cassandra’s face, taking him off guard. Her hand moves so that a finger is pointing real close to his face.

 "Percival I forbid you to die."

“Cass”

“Promise me on Pelor that you won’t leave me. You know the ancient rites as well as I do”

Percy stays quite for a long time. The sun has completely set by this point, the sky clear, the constellation of Pelor just beginning to appear overhead.   

"Alright, alright." Percy final replys pulled out his sword, and resting it on his left hand.

"I Percival do promise to She of my blood and protector of Whitestone, that I will return to this fair city and honour the name de Rolo.” Percy paused, and looks Cassandra in the eye

“If I should fall then I pray that she will open her home to the one I love, Lady Vex’ahlia, and treat's her like the family that I wish for her to one day be" Cassandra’s eyes grow wide, realising the weight of the changes he has made to the rite. Percy then makes a small cut on his palm and lets the blood soak into the Whitestone railing "I swear this in the eyes of Pelor" a soft glow appears on his hand as the wound seals, leaving a small scar to remind him of his promise. He then passes the sword to his sister and she grabs it, hands shaking.

“I, Cassandra accept this promise from He of my blood, and will promise to honour his request of familiar love of Lady Vex’ahlia should he fall.” she response, following her brothers lead. “I swear this in the eyes of Pelor” the same glow appears on her hand.

Percy smiles down at his sister, when a hand comes out and slaps him in the face. He raises one of his own to his now stinging face, looking at his sister.  From what little light there is from the now risen moon he can see a look of frustration on her face.

“Now see to it that you keep that promise. I may have to ask Kash for ways to bring you back so that I may kill you myself for causing me heartache” A smile then appears on Cassandra's face.  

“I am happy for you that you have finally decided to admit these feelings. And we will have this discussion when we get back in side.” Percy looks at her sheepishly. “Don’t give me that look. I’m just going to do my sisterly duty of teasing you for the rest of your life. Now be a good brother and escort me back inside, I grow cold and hungry out here. We don't have a lot of time, and we have many a plan to finalise before you leave me again. I had heard your former captain talking with the cooks about making a feast with this spice you back from the south and I am curious to try it.”

“Sure” Percy response, putting his coat back on, and offering his arm to her. “Sister”

“Brother” Cassandra takes it and the two of them walk arm in arm back to the inside of the castle.

And for the first time in years she begins to let herself believe that there is Hope.

**Author's Note:**

> I enjoy writing what i believe is the things that Cassandra needs to hear to help heal. She has been through a lot and hasn't had the time to process having her brother back before she almost loses him again. Cass needs all the hugs.


End file.
